Frozen
by angela evans
Summary: A deep freeze hits Seattle . . . . . A little romance, but also general stuff
1. Frozen Pt 1

"Frozen"   
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters - James Cameron does.   
Rating: PG - PG13   
  
SCENE 1: JAM PONY, NOONTIME   
  
"Hey Girl," Original Cindy said to Max as she rode in, "Back from your visit to Mr. Got-It-All already?"   
  
"He's not my boyfriend," Max argued, dismounting her bike.   
  
"Sure, babe," Cindy said, "If that's what you want to call him. But if I had a decent-lookin-mr.moneybags-man wantin' to look after Original Cindy, I wouldn't think twice, but that's if I were into that side of the dessert cart."   
  
Max made a face. "He's not - "   
  
"Bip, bip, bip," Normal said walking past them, "Time is money, Ladies."   
  
Max and Cindy just watched him.   
  
"Man that's gotta be one giant stick," Max commented.   
  
"Mmhm, more like a tree," Cindy replied.   
  
"Max, Original Cindy," Herbal said joining their little party, "That's been there since he was born."   
  
"You got that right," Cindy began, but the rest of her reply was cut off by the sound of static coming from the TV cut her off.   
  
"Here he goes again," Cindy rolled her eyes, "Be prepared for another 'Eyes Only' sermon of the week."   
  
"Do not attempt to adjust your monitor. This is a Streaming Freedom Internet Bulletin. This cyber hack will last 60 seconds. It cannot be traced. It cannot be stopped. And it is the last free voice on the internet. . ." Eyes Only's voice came over the air.   
  
"Blah, blah, blah," Cindy commented, "Tell us something we don't know."   
  
"Shhh," Max told her.   
  
"This week, heating oil prices are going to rise. They will be virtually unaffordable. Why? Not because of OPEC or an oil shortage, but because those who control the pipelines are taking it for themselves and trading it for personal and political favors. There's a cold spell coming. Stay warm. Peace. Out." And he was gone.   
  
"Great. I can work my ass off for this tweed in a headset or freeze my ass off," Cindy said.   
  
"Either way, you loose your fat ass," Max teased.   
  
"My ass is smaller than yours," Cindy shot back.   
  
"Sorry, don't have time to compare asses," Max said as a now-disappointed Sketchy walked over, "Gotta blaze." She jumped on her bike and pedaled out the door.   
  
SCENE 2: LOGAN'S PLACE, A LITTLE LATER   
  
"Hey, knock-knock, anybody home?" Max asked walking in the door.  
  
"Max," Logan turned away from his desk to face her, "What brings us the pleasure of your company?"   
  
"Are heating prices really gonna skyrocket? 'Cuz I wouldn't mind a trip to Hawaii or some place warm like, oh, the. . ."   
  
"Nice try," he told her, "What's up?"   
  
"Well, the night we all escaped from Manticore, it was snowing. It was the coldest it had ever been, and well, I was just wondering, well, have you found anything lately on the others?"   
  
Logan shook his head, "Sorry, Max."   
  
"Oh, okay. I gotta get back to work anyway," she turned to the door.   
  
"Max," Logan called.   
  
"Yeah?" she turned back to him.   
  
"If it gets really cold, come here. You can crash in the spare room. I don't want you to freeze," he told her.   
  
"Yeah, it wouldn't do to have a sophisticated piece of machinery all frozen up when you need it. Thanks," she opened the door, "Duty calls."   
  
"Bip, bip, bip," he teased her.   
  
She smiled. "Its a lot cuter when you say it." And she was gone.   
  
SCENE 3: MAX AND KENDRA'S APARTAMENT, LATER   
  
Max walked into her apartment and dropped her bag. Kendra was seated on the floor, surrounded by papers.   
  
"Zup?" Max greeted her, "Job give good pay?"   
  
"Good enough for the amount of work they gave me," Kendra told her.   
  
"Anything interesting?" Max asked.   
  
"Nah, a bunch of accounting stuff and translations. Beats me how they do it, I'm just copying it and I'm confused."   
  
"Lemme see," Max said, kneeling next to her. The paper Kendra handed her was covered in numbers. It was part of an account ledger.   
  
"Okay, you take the income and subtract the expenses to get the profit, then divide--" Max stopped when the word 'oil' caught her eye.   
  
"Kendra, who are you working for?"   
  
"Some Australian investor. His name is Casey Austin. He's in transportation and shipping. I think he owns a pipeline. Why?"   
  
"Nothing," Max shoved it to the back of her mind. She'd tell Logan later. "Just curious." She handed the paper back to Kendra and got up. "You eaten yet?"   
  
"Actually, I'm going to a party tonight. Its a dinner party for some of Austin's business partners."   
  
"Okay, sure," Max said, looking in the refrigerator, "There's nothing to eat here. When'd you last go shopping?"   
  
"Last week," Kendra reminded her, "But it wasn't much."   
  
"When is it ever?" Max replied, "What's a girl gotta do to get somethin' to eat 'round here?"   
  
"You could always call Logan. I'm sure he wouldn't mind having dinner with you. In fact, I think he'd love to have you for dinner," Kendra commented.   
  
Max rolled her eyes, "Right. We're not--"   
  
"I know, I know, you're not a couple. He's not your boyfriend," Kendra said, "Yet."   
  
SCENE 4: LOGAN'S, LATER   
  
Logan leaned back in his wheel chair. He took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. It had been a long day of hacking. He'd done what he could, but people were still going to freeze tonight. His thoughts drifted to Max. Would she be okay? Or should he go check on her?   
'Get your mind back on track, Cale!' he scolded himself, 'Max can take care of herself and those thoughts are the beginning of a dangerous path.' Logan wondered why everyone kept asking about him and Max. Its not as if they were. . .   
He returned his thoughts to the current crisis. If only he could do more. . .   
  
"You can't save the world all by yourself in one night," Max's voice greeted him, "Stop blaming yourself."   
  
"I'm not blaming myself," Logan told her, "Just wishing I could do more."   
  
"Same thing," Max reminded him. She walked over to him and put her hands on his shoulders. "I know what'll make you feel better." She began to massage his shoulders and neck.   
  
"Max," Logan began.   
  
"Don't," She told him, "Just relax."   
  
Logan let go and allowed himself to relax under her touch. Max was right, he did feel better.   
  
"Bahamas sound good to you?" he asked.   
  
"What?" Max sounded slightly distracted, if that was possible.   
  
"Warm enough for you?" He grinned up at her.   
  
"Oh," she smiled, "By the way, I think I might know some of the people behind the oil shortage," she said.   
  
"Really?" Logan turned to face her, "Who?"   
  
"Well, Kendra's working for some dude named Austin - he owns a pipeline. And he's throwing a mega bash for his business partners tonight," she told him, "Bet they'll have heat."   
  
"Austin?" Logan scratched his chin, "Casey Austin?"   
  
"Yeah. Why?"   
  
"I know him - we were friends, briefly. He invited me to that 'mega bash', as you called it," Logan informed her.   
  
"And you're not going to a night of champagne swilling? I'm shocked," Max commented sarcastically.   
  
"I told you, we were friends. Austin still thinks everyone can be bought with money."   
  
"Most people can be," Max reminded him, "but not you."  
  
Logan smiled. It was as close to a compliment as he would get from her.  
  
"Hey, listen, I've been working on getting the word out about staying warm tonight. I think we'll be okay as long as it doesn't snow," Logan told her, "But . . ."  
  
"What now?" Max asked knowingly, "Want me to beat him up? Force him to turn everyone's heat back on?" She smiled.  
  
"Not exactly what I had in mind," Logan wheeled himself over to a closet and opened it. Max peered inside. It was full of old coats, mittens, scarves, hats, and blankets.  
  
"Lemme guess. You want me to play Santa Claus with these," Max said, gesturing to the closet's contents.  
  
"What a great idea," Logan feigned innocence, "I was going out of my mind trying to figure out what to do with them . . ."  
  
"Sure you were," Max grinned and grabbed an armful, "Back in a flash."  
  
"Hey, Max," Logan called to her as she was headed out the door.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Stay warm yourself."  
  
"Don't worry about me," she said. She walked out, closing the door behind her.  
  
"But I do," Logan said to the sudden emptiness that always accompanied Max's departure.  
  
SCENE 5: THE STREETS OF SEATTLE  
  
Max wove her way through the streets, handing out the coats and blankets she'd collected from Logan's apartment. The people on the street were actually very grateful for them. Most people Max knew hated and distrusted charity, even though they were struggling to get by. They didn't want handouts from the rich who wanted to save their souls by doing good.  
  
'I guess it's all the cold, everyone's reaching out for all the warmth they can get, even if it's just goodwill from others.'  
  
Her arms empty of 'gifts', she turned back to Logan's, but stopped to look up at the heavens in wonder when she felt a tiny, wet kiss of a snowflake upon her cheek. It was snowing.  
  
'Lovely,' Max sarcastically said under her breath, 'snow.' Snow had been a regular event in at Manticore due to its location in Gillette. But post-Pulse snow in Seattle was a rare sight when one accounted for the global warming effect the pulse had created. Max stopped, in spite of herself to look at it. It was white, but by the time it reached the ground it would be dirty, just like everything else in the city. Everything except Logan.  
But Max's snow contemplation was getting her into trouble. She'd been spotted by the police. And it was after curfew.  
  
"Hey, girl," one of them called to her.  
  
Max ignored him and kept on walking.  
  
"Hey, you! Stop!" There was pounding to feet and they caught up to her. She stopped and turned.  
  
"Yes, officer?" Her voice was sweet, the kind of tone that to anyone who knew her meant danger.  
  
"You're out past curfew, and the city is freezing," he said to her, "Let me take you home and there won't be any trouble."  
  
Yeah, right. Max smiled, but it never reached her eyes, "Oh, I didn't realize it was that late. I'm very close to home, so I'll just walk, ok?" She started off again.  
  
"Hey!" He grabbed her arm, hard, "I said -" But Max had his arm bent back painfully and she pushed him to his knees.  
  
"And I said 'No'," she told him, "And I'd better not hear about you and your partner terrorizing any other young girls, you got it?"   
  
Max looked to see the cop's partner watching this in fear. He'd never seen a girl be able to fight like that before. He was, however working up the courage and coming over. Max's leg flew out and kicked him in the stomach, sending him to the ground. The cop she was injuring was nodding his head, agreeing to behave and begging to be let go. Max released him with a shove, and left them to pick up their dignity on the polluted streets.  
  
  



	2. Frozen Pt 2

Frozen Part 2  
  
SCENE 6: LOGAN'S  
  
Logan looked up from his computer to see Max, dripping snow, standing in the doorway.  
  
"Is it snowing?" he asked pretending not to notice the white flakes melting on her.  
  
"No, somebody dumped wet confetti on me." She shook snow off her scarf and flung it in his direction. "I'm back for the last of it, then I'm gonna check on Cindy, Herbal, Sketchy, and the people in my building."  
  
"Ok, good." Logan noticed her cheeks were red. He hopped her jacket was warm enough. "Max, come on back when you're done, ok? I'll make hot chocolate - the real kind." He grinned.  
  
"Oooh, you're gonna spoil me, aren't you?" She grinned, "I'll be back as long as I'm not arrested by Officers Dumb and Dumber."  
  
"Max," Logan's voice was reproachful, but in a playful manner, "What did you do?"  
  
"It was all their fault. One of 'em tried to snatch me, so I taught him a lesson. He'll never pick on a girl again."  
  
Logan shook his head. "Be careful, ok? And stay warm."  
  
"No problem, fearless leader." She saluted, grabbed the last of the coats and blankets, and headed out.  
  
"You're the fearless one, Max," Logan said softly.  
  
SCENE 7: LOGAN'S  
  
Logan wheeled over to the windows and watched the snow fall while he waited for Max to return. Snow was extremely rare in Seattle, so this blizzard was magical. Or it would be if Max and I were snuggled together under a blanket in front of a fire drinking hot chocolate, and if I knew people weren't going to freeze to death out there, he thought.  
  
Logan watched one snowflake spiral towards the ground. It got caught in an updraft and floated up to his window before plunging into the darkness below. Logan was overwhelmed by a wave of nausea watching it fall, remembering the header he'd taken off a building when the May 22nd Movement had taken the place hostage. He'd be dead if it hadn't have been for Max. Ironic, Logan thought, I went in to save her, but she's the one who saved me.  
  
Logan opened his eyes as soon as the nausea had passed. He again surveyed the frozen landscape. Frozen, frozen . . . the word duplicated itself over and over in his mind. Yes, Max had saved him, but she still needed saving. Though she allowed him brief glimpses into her inner self, her heart was frozen. Logan wanted to be the one to warm it up.  
  
Logan smiled. He'd start with the hot chocolate.  
  
SCENE 8: AUSTIN'S DINNER PARTY  
  
Max had stopped by Cindy's apartment to check on her. Cindy was doing fine, and Herbal, Sketchy, and other Jam Pony riders were there, along with Herbal's wife and Sketchy's girlfriend, Natalie. They were holding up all right. Max left them with the last of the blankets.  
  
Max was working her way back to Logan's when she saw the house where Austin was holding the dinner party. Maybe I should say hello, she thought, and while I'm at it, get him to turn the heat back on. Max scanned the area, and was surprised at the lack of security. Oh well, made her job easier.  
  
She climbed a tree and slipped in through a second floor window. She found herself in what appeared to be the Ladies' room. Kendra was there, powdering her nose.  
  
"Max?!" Kendra cried.  
  
"Shhh!" Max put a finger to her lips. "You didn't see me."  
  
Kendra nodded. "But why are you here?"  
  
"I think Austin's responsible for oil shortage. I'm gathering proof. Where's his office?"  
  
"Second door on the left. But Max -"  
  
Max was gone before she could finish.   
  
Slipping down the hall, Max found Austin's office. The lock was easy to pick, so she was in within seconds. Carefully, she began to search Austin's desk in a careless-looking manner that actually was methodical. No papers of any importance, but there was a disk. She slipped it into the computer and used her hacking skills (some from Logan, others from Manticore) to open the files. She scanned them quickly, finding some that could be significant.  
  
Footsteps sounded outside the door. Max tucked the disk into her vest and ducked under the desk. Three men and one woman walked in. Austin, two guards, and Kendra. And from the sound of things, Kendra was being escorted roughly by one of the guards.  
  
"Where did she go?" Austin demanded.  
  
"What? Who?" Kendra was nervous and it was betraying everything she said.  
  
"We saw you speak to her on the security camera. Where is she?"  
  
"I don't know!"   
  
It wasn't really fair to let Kendra take the heat for her, so Max stood up from her hiding place. "Looking for me, gentlemen?"  
  
Four pairs of eyes turn to her. Kendra shook her head slightly, as if to say 'I didn't tell'. Max showed she understood.  
  
"What's the dealio, here? Let my homegirl go," Max said.  
  
Austin nodded and the guard let Kendra go. They advanced on Max. She jumped up on Austin's desk and kicked the closest guard in the head, sprawling him on the floor. Then she jumped down, putting all her weight on the second guard, throwing him to the floor. Max rolled, ending up on her feet. She gave a precise hit to the back of the neck of the guard who was getting up. Both guards knocked out, she turned on Austin.  
  
"Your turn," she hissed.  
  
"Who sent you? That goody-two shoes Cale?" Austin sneered.  
  
"Nah, I put it all together my self." Max launched a punch at his face. It connected and sent Austin reeling. Max charged and dug her shoulder into his stomach before he could recover. He feel, hitting his head on the way, down, knocking him out.  
  
Max grabbed Kendra and ran for the window. "C'mon, we're jetting." She pushed Kendra out the window into the tree and then scrambled down after her. The two women sprinted into the dark night.  
  
SCENE 9: CINDY'S   
  
At Cindy's, Max made sure Kendra was all right. "Look, I'm sorry for costing you the job. I hopped I'd be in and out before any one spotted me."  
  
"No big deal," Kendra smiled weakly, "I'll find another job. By the way, where'd you learn to fight like that?"  
  
"Around," Max shrugged, "I owe you, ok? I'll make good on it. Stay here, stay warm. I've got stuff to take care of. And listen, you be careful, ok? Austin's not going to be pleased with us when he wakes up. Don't leave without me, and don't go home."  
  
"You be careful, too, Max. I don't wanna loose my rent ticket," she smiled. Max and Kendra hugged.  
  
"Aiight," Max said, touching her fist to Kendra's, "I gotta blaze." She left, but not before asking Herbal and Cindy to watch Kendra for her.   
  
SCENE 10: SEATTLE STREETS  
  
Max aimlessly wandered back towards Logan's after leaving Kendra with Cindy and the others. She knew she should get back before too long, before Logan got worried. It was annoying, the way he worried about her. Why couldn't he understand she could take care of herself?  
  
Logan always worries about everyone else, she thought, like the time he went in to 'save' me from John Darius. He always wants to make sure it's all good with me; he wants to know what I'm feeling. He wants me to let it all out, but he never lets himself do that. I know he's royally pissed at that troll off the short bus, Bruno Anselmo. He told me he'd wrapped his head around it, but I know he hasn't. Bling told me about the video. He watched it all night. And the time he almost bit my head off for trying to get him to go see Dr. Tanaka. He won't admit he needs help. He'd rather be the savior than the saved.  
  
A snowflake landed on her arm. It clung there, stubbornly, until she touched it with her finger. It melted immediately. Just like Logan, she thought, clingy to a fault, but as soon as you try to get beyond the pretty exterior, he's gone. He doesn't let anyone in, at least not far enough.  
  



	3. Frozen Pt 3

"Frozen" Part 3  
  
SCENE 11: LOGAN'S  
  
Logan kept the hot chocolate warm on the stove. Max had been gone for too long. He turned off the stove and got his coat. He was just wrapping his scarf around his neck when the door opened. Max. At the same time the phone rang. Max nodded and Logan picked it up.  
  
It was Austin, and he wasn't pleased. "Cale! Who the hell was that that you sent barreling into my office tonight?"  
  
"Who? I don't know what you're talking about," Logan said, giving Max a reproachful gaze.  
  
"The girl, the little bitch! I know you sent her. You still think this world is worth saving," Austin sneered.  
  
"Or at least what's left of it," Logan said. He chose to ignore the comment about Max.  
  
"How much?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"How much do you want in exchange for the disk?"  
  
"Still think everyone's got a price, don't you? Sorry, wrong number this time," Logan said hanging up. He looked up at Max, "What did you do?"  
  
"Moi?" she asked innocently, "All I did was say hi. Wasn't my fault that he got a stick up his butt and decided to take it out on my homegirl."  
  
Logan looked at her, seriously for a moment, and then smiled. "Disk?"  
  
"Here." She slipped a hand inside her vest and pulled out the mini-laser disk and handed it to Logan. Oh how he envied that little disk. "I'm sure you know what to do with it."  
  
"Yeah, listen, there's some hot chocolate on the stove. Go warm yourself up. I'll join you in a while."  
  
Max's full lips curved into a smile at the thought of hot chocolate and Logan joining her. "Don't be long," she said, disappearing into the kitchen.   
  
SCENE 12: LOGAN'S, LATER  
  
Max was curled up on the couch, holding the mug of hot chocolate in both hands, when Logan wheeled himself out of the computer room. He'd done an Eyes Only on Austin and hacked into the city gas and electric company's computer system, leaving an order to turn the citywide heat pump systems back on.  
  
Logan looked at her. She was wearing a pair of track pants she'd left there a while ago and one of his sweatshirts. Her wet hair was pulled back into a ponytail. She looked so innocent sitting there, not at all like a genetically engineered killing machine should.  
  
Gotta stop calling her that, he chided himself. She's human, and female.  
  
He put on the stereo and then went over to her. "Warmer?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, this stuff's great," she said indicating the hot chocolate, "You're going to spoil me with it."  
  
"That was the idea," he replied. That was lame, Cale. Max seemed not to notice the line's cheesiness. She was too busy sipping from the mug. Logan noticed how her lips gently touched the mg each time she took a sip.   
  
Max looked up and caught him staring at her. "What?" she asked.  
  
"Huh? Oh, I was just thinking. Listen, I think Austin's taken care of. I did an Eyes Only hack on him, plus I got into the computer systems that control the city's heat supply. They should turn back on soon," he said, covering up what was really on his mind, "And I'll get Kendra something, since she lost a paying job on this."  
  
"Ok, but don't worry about Kendra. It's my fault, I'll pay her back," Max said to him, but to herself she said, So it's still business as normal. That's all I am to him.  
  
"Max," Logan said, "I'm the one that told you about the whole pipeline thing, so I'll take care of Kendra." And you, he added silently.  
  
"I can take care of things myself, Logan, I don't need you stepping up to the plate all the time," she snapped, "I did just fine before you showed." Ouch, did that come out like that? I didn't mean it that way, Max thought.  
  
Logan was hurt. She doesn't need me, and she's pushing me away. He put on a front of nonchalance. "Fine, if you say so."  
  
Max detected the hurt in his voice, despite his attempts to mask it. He's shutting me out now. He's refusing to let me see how he really feels. "Logan," she began.  
  
"It's okay, Max, you don't have to apologize. I'm gonna go get some of that hot chocolate before you drink it all." He wheeled off into the kitchen.  
  
SCENE 13: LOGAN'S  
  
Max felt cold air upon her back. She got up and checked the windows. All closed. She checked the doors, but they were closed as well. She found Logan in the kitchen, drinking his hot chocolate.  
  
"Max, I told you, you don't have to apologize," he said.  
  
"Logan, have you noticed its been getting colder? Did you adjust the thermostat?"  
  
"No," Logan scratched his chin, "The heat supply must be running low, and the pipelines are still shut down," he said looking up at her.  
  
"Great," Max sighed, "I come in from the cold only to freeze."  
  
"Go get a couple blankets and the heating pad from the linen closet," Logan told her, "I'll make more hot chocolate and join you on the couch."  
  
"Hurry up," Max told him, "It's freezing and even my superhuman body can't take it for too long."   
  
SCENE 14: LOGAN'S  
  
Max was snuggled in a nest of blankets on the couch when Logan came, bearing two thermoses of hot chocolate. He laughed when he saw her, a small face peaking out of a mound of blankets.  
  
"You look like a kid playing 'fort' or 'peak-a-boo'," he told her.  
  
"I'm cold," she retorted, "Come join me, the fort's nice and warm.  
  
Logan grinned and put the thermoses down within easy reach. Lifting himself carefully with his arms, he placed his body on the couch next to Max's. She lifted an arm and enveloped him in blankets.  
  
"You're right, this is warm," he said grinning at her, "Toasty."  
  
Max snuggled closer and Logan wrapped his arms around her. Even with the extra heat created by the blankets, he could feel heat coming from her and flowing into him through their clothing, which was starting to feel flimsy. Logan just hopped that it didn't get so cold that they had resort to skin-to-skin contact.  
  
On second thought, he did. But then he reminded himself of the consequences.   
  
Max, however, didn't care. She leaned back, putting her head on his chest. She could hear his heart racing in his chest, matching her own hyperbeat. To hell with the consequences, she thought.  
  
Max turned to Logan and wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling herself closer. She slipped one arm around his neck, running her hand through his hair. She leaned in to kiss him, and that's when she felt it.  
  
The cold, uncontrollable shaking of a seizure. Flashes of Manticore marched through her head. Feeling sick, Max pushed off the couch.  
  
"I'll be back," she said heading for the bathroom. Once there, she popped the last of the Tryptophan she had on her into her mouth. After splashing her heated face with cold water, she slumped down to the floor and curled into a fetal position. This was a bad one.  
  
Logan waited on the couch for Max to return. He knew she'd gone to the bathroom to take some Tryptophan, and he was worried. After a while, he lifted himself off the couch and went to the bathroom. He knocked on the door.  
  
"Max?" There was no response. "Max, are you okay?" he asked, feeling his anxiety increase.   
  
Hearing no response, Logan opened the door. Max was on the floor, curled into a ball. Her teeth were chattering and her lips were blue. With a lot of difficulty, Logan pulled Max on to his lap. Backing out of the bathroom, he headed for his room, to put her into a nice, warm, soft bed.  
  
SCENE 15: LOGAN'S  
  
Logan tucked Max into his bed, bringing all the blankets and the hot pad from the living room. She was still shivering, so he got his hat and mittens and put them on her. Thinking of other ways to keep her warm, he pulled out his heaviest pair of socks and put them on her feet, then wrapped her in his bathrobe. She looked like a little snow girl.  
  
Snow angel is more like it, he thought. Damn, this is all my fault. I sent her out on the runs in the cold with out proper clothing. I should have insisted that she wear a heavy coat. An on a night when she's not feeling well, too.  
  
"Soo ccc-cc-cold," Max chattered, "Jonddd-d-ie, ww-ww-ww-wwwait."  
  
Logan looked at her. Max was still shivering and her forehead was cool to the touch. She was hallucinating. The only other way Logan could warm her was to climb in with her. Carefully he lifted his body out of the chair and lowered himself into bed. He laid his body alongside hers and wrapped her in his arms.  
  
God, Max, don't let me lose you, I've been frozen for too long.  
  
SCENE 16: LOGAN'S  
  
Max felt so cold and she couldn't control her shaking. This seizure was definitely the worst she'd ever experienced. Visions of Manticore and the escape marched through her brain, varying her degrees of consciousness. She was only slightly aware that she was in Logan's bed. At any other time, this would have been a problem.  
  
Suddenly Max wasn't in Logan's room anymore. She was ten years younger again, and escaping from Manticore once more.  
  
They jumped through the glass, landing on the soft snow. They rolled and got up running. The soldiers and guards were after them. The cold air bit threw Max's thin hospital gown. She got separated form the group, but then found them again.  
  
Sitting there, watching Zack's hand signals, Max felt the frozen snow beneath her legs start to numb them. She rubbed them to keep them from falling asleep. Now she was running, the frosty snow beneath her bare feet.  
  
She slipped through the ice, and fell into the frozen, icy water below. Never had she been this cold. She could hear Jondie calling to her, but her lips were frozen together it seemed. Jondie started to leave.  
  
"Soo ccc-cc-cold," Max cried out, "Jonddd-d-ie, ww-ww-ww-wwwait."  
  
Something warm was wrapping itself around her. She snuggled into it, feeling her shaking start to calm. She wanted to stay in this warm place forever.  
  
There was a distant crash, once that barely registered, and a far off voice saying, "Max, I'll be right back." Then the warmth left her and she was cold again.  
  
SCENE 17: LOGAN'S  
  
Hearing a crash in the living room, Logan carefully lifted himself into his wheel chair. He hated to leave Max, but she had calmed down and seemed warmer to the touch. He hoped that it wasn't anything and that he could return to her quickly.  
  
"Max, I'll be right back," he told her in case she could hear him and knew he was leaving. She seemed to pout and snuggled into the place where he had just been. If he hadn't gotten up, Logan realized, Max would be lying on him.  
  
Pushing those thoughts to the back of his mind, Logan got his gun from its hiding place and went to investigate. He cautiously wheeled into the living room and saw what had fallen and made the crashing noise.  
  
It was the window, and it had crashed when several assailants sent by Austin had busted through it. Two of them were in his computer room, searching for the disk Max had taken. Logan was glad he'd hid it in Max's bag.   
  
Logan aimed his gun at them. "Gentlemen, can we talk?" he said, "By breaking through the window, you've alerted building security, and my guess is that they'll be here in a few moments. So, why don't you just let yourselves out?"  
  
Two of them advanced on Logan. He hesitated, not wanting to actually use the gun, and they disarmed him. One of them flexed his hands and the balled them into fists. "Where is the disk?" he demanded.  
  
"Hey! Didn't anyone ever tell you to pock on someone your own size?" a voice called.  
  
Logan and his attackers turned and looked at the figure in the doorway. It was Max. She was pale and shaky, obviously not fully recovered. Logan tried to get her attention and tell her to go back to bed, but she wouldn't look at him.  
  
Max, on slightly unsteady feet, grabbed the assailant nearest to her, and, with some effort, she twisted his arm back and swept his feet out from under him. Having disabled him, she moved on the other three. One still had Logan's gun, and was now unsure who to aim it at.  
  
Max seemed to be getting stronger by the minute, recovering from her seizure. Logan, intent on keeping her from getting hurt, used the distraction to roll the wheels of his chair over the foot of an intruder. The man cried out in pain and grabbed his foot. Logan reached out and punched him, knocking him out.  
  
Max, meanwhile had gotten the other two to run at her, which of course had ended in them crashing into each other. Max delivered swift chops to the backs of both of their necks, knocking them out. She took Logan's gun from one of them and promptly handed it back to him.  
  
"Another window broken," she commented.  
  
"Max," Logan began, "Are you okay?"  
  
"Better, but not great," she told him.  
  
"Go back to bed and rest for a while," he ordered.  
  
"Yes sir," Max said in a playful tone, "If you come join me later. We need to talk."  
  
"First I have to make a phone call," Logan told her, "but then I'll be sure to join you."  
  
Max smiled, gave him a salute, and head back to his room. Logan reached for the phone to call Det. Sung about removing the intruders.  
  
SCENE 18: LOGAN'S ROOM  
  
Max was curled up in bed when Logan returned from sending the baddies off with Matt, who had also promised to round up Austin. Logan handed over all the evidence he had, after making back up disks just in case.  
  
She appeared to be asleep, but he knew better. "Max?"  
  
Her eyes opened and fixed on him. "Hey."  
  
He tried to grab the blanket, but she pulled it out of his reach. "Not until we talk."  
  
She was rewarded with a puppy dog face, "Please?"  
  
Max shook her head. "We need to talk, Logan."  
  
"I know. Go ahead and say what you want to."  
  
"Am I just a genetically engineered weapon to you?" Before he could answer she continued, "Because it's hard to tell. You've done a lot for me, but the ticket's always punched by 'I wouldn't want my genetically enhanced killing machine to . . .' or some other such line."  
  
Logan sat there stunned.  
  
"Maybe in the beginning. But not now . . . now you're," he swallowed, "well, you're Max."  
  
"Max? Just Max? Logan, you need to elaborate on that."  
  
"Ok, then I want you to elaborate on something, too. Am I just your meal ticket?"  
  
"What ever makes you say that?"  
  
Damn, she was being coy. "Max, you don't let people in too far do you?"  
  
"And you'd rather help then be the helped," she replied.  
  
They both stared at each other, realizing what had been said.  
  
"Max, I'll admit, I don't like to dump my problems on other people," Logan said at the same time Max said, "I've been told I'm a fog bank."  
  
Again they just looked at each other.  
  
"Just tell me," Max said, "are you still pissed at Bruno?"  
  
"Yes. In a way. Who said you were a fog bank?"  
  
"Ex-boyfriend. He didn't know me the way you know me."  
  
"Is that a good thing?" Logan asked quietly, but it held weight.  
  
"Yes." She reached out with the blanket, "Come here."  
  
Logan obeyed.  
  
  
Author's Note: This is not the end. I know snow is RARE in Seattle. And the stick/tree comments were about the stick up Normal's butt.  
:-) Angela 


	4. Frozen Pt 4

SCENE 18 CON'T  
  
"Yes." She reached out with the blanket, "Come here."  
  
Logan obeyed.  
  
Max snuggled up next to him. "All I wanted you to do was open up, Logan. You gloss over things too much."  
  
"So do you, Max," he said wrapping his arms around her, "It's not always 'no big dealio'." He looked at her. "You went somewhere Max, while you were having that seizure."  
  
"Manticore," she whispered, "I was back at Manticore. But you brought me back."  
  
Logan tightened his grip on her and buried his face in her hair. "Just don't leave me again," he whispered.  
  
"I won't." She pulled the blankets up to her chin, "No more talking. Time to conserve energy."  
  
Logan snuggled down into the covers with her, where they stayed till morning.  
  
  
SCENE 19: LOGAN'S, THE NEXT MORNING  
  
Max awoke, feeling on edge when she didn't recognize her surroundings. But within that same moment she recognized Logan's room, the warmth of his arms around her. She lay there, remembering what had happened the night before. And it scared her. She'd never gotten a relationship to work before.  
Not that she'd really wanted any of them to work before. No one had ever known her like Logan did. That scared her. She had no mystery to hide behind with him.  
Max slowly and carefully eased out of Logan's arms. He stirred in his sleep, but didn't wake. She felt guilty sneaking out on him, but she couldn't stay. She stripped of his sweatshirt and her track pants. Grabbing her bike pants from the floor where she'd left them last night, Max pulled them on. Wearing just her tank and pants, she grabbed her jacket and shoes, heading for the door.  
  
"Max?" Logan mumbled, rousing from sleep.  
  
"I gotta go to work," she said.  
  
"Max, it's Saturday," Logan said, sitting up to look at her, "No work."  
  
"Bling'll be here, to help you with your reps," she said, grasping at anything she could think of.  
  
"Bling's day off," Logan reminded her.  
  
"Right," she said.  
  
"Max, don't run off again. I thought we worked past this last night."  
  
She dropped her shoes. "I am a female fogbank. Damn Darrin."  
  
"Max, you're not. And you're not the only one who's foggy. I've hid my emotions, too. And it's because I'm scared." God, that felt so good, Logan thought, I should have told her this earlier.  
  
"I'm scared, too," Max whispered, "I don't think I know how to love you like you deserve to be loved."  
  
"Max, I'm the one who doesn't deserve this," Logan said.   
  
She looked at him. Max knew what he was thinking, and Logan knew that she was thinking.  
  
Max smiled. "So, Cinderella gets her prince after all."  
  
"Hey, she's the one who lost her shoe. The prince is lucky he found it," Logan told her as she bent down to kiss him. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her down on the bed. "And this prince is gonna make sure you can't run away again."  
  
"Yeah," Max replied between kisses, "Wouldn't do to loose the other shoe."  
  
  
SCENE 20: KENDRA'S, LATER THAT DAY  
  
"You okay?" Max asked Kendra for the one-millionth time since she'd picked her up from Cindy's. Max had hated to leave Logan, but she had to get back to her place and get things set with Kendra.  
  
"Yeah, just wish I hadn't lost that job. It paid really well, even if he was a bastard," Kendra smiled, "But it's not your fault Max."  
  
"Yes it is, so here, take my last two week's pay," Max said, holding the money out to her, "To make up for it."  
  
"Max, I can't take that." Kendra folded her arms.  
  
"Yes, you can," Max said extending her arm further and putting it in Kendra's shirt pocket.  
  
"On one condition," Kendra said.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Where'd you learn to fight like that? And 'around' is not an answer."  
  
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."  
  
"Try me," Kendra said, "I can take it."  
  
"Ok, I am a genetically revved up female prototype, and from birth I was trained as a weapons system at a covert genetics lab in Wyoming," Max deadpanned.  
  
Kendra snorted. "Max, I'm not going to fall for that. If you don't want to tell me, then fine, I understand. But when you're ready, I'll listen." She took her tea and walked into her room.  
  
  
SCENE 21: THE SPACE NEEDLE, THAT NIGHT  
  
Max is sitting near the edge, her knees hugged to her chest. Resting one ear on her knees, she stares out at the night, thinking . . . .   
  
(Max Voiceover)  
So, the cold spell has passed, and thanks to Logan, not too many people were hurt. Logan and I are probably the only ones who benefited from it. But if we hadn't, we could have taken it somewhere neither one of us wanted it to go. On the other hand, it has created a fracture between me and Kendra. She knows that there's something more to me than meets the eye, but I'm not ready to tell her. Cindy's just getting used to the idea, and I think I'd need her to convince Kendra. I know I said things were easier when I didn't give a damn, but maybe they aren't . . . . . it was pretty easy under that blanket with Logan . . . .   
Max's lips curl into a smile as she continues to stare out into the night.  
  
  
THE END  
  



End file.
